The Dark Knight of Gotham
by EzioAuditoreDaFirenze1500
Summary: Gotham is the center of crime and corruption in America. Murders, Muggings and Rape are common in this rat-hole of a city. There was no hope for this city until one man rose above and stood up to the criminal underworld. The Dark Knight, Batman. Updated Saturdays.
1. AWOL

It was a dark, cold night in Gotham City. The streets were busy, the entire city itself, brimming with activity. The people within the streets were unaware of what was occurring deep, deep down in the criminal underworld. Of the danger…

"I want all of these crates loaded into the van in five minutes tops or I'll cut each and every one of you," said a man in a fedora and trench coat. He and his thugs had just stolen weaponry from the Gotham City Armoury and were loading the crates in which they were contained, into their van. "Be quick! We don't want **him** showing up and messing up all our hard work, do we?"

One thug placed a crate into the van and turned to his friend. "Who's this guy the boss keeps talking about?"

"You've been in Gotham for more than a year and you haven't heard about **him**?" the other thug asked in shock.

"Who?" asked the first thug impatiently.

Just before his friend could answer, something sharp pierced his neck. He fell to the ground instantly. The first thug turned around and found a shadowy figure with the ears of a bat standing right behind him. "Me," said the figure before he knocked the thug out with one right hook.

The other thugs noticed a disturbance and ran to their fallen colleague's area. The figure stepped out of the shadows revealing that he was a man in a fairly intimidating Batsuit. "Oh crap, it's the Batman!" shouted one of the thugs.

Some ran away and only six of fifteen (not counting the fallen two) remained. Batman engaged the thugs and beat all of them into unconsciousness. The boss spotted Batman and shot at him with an SMG but to his surprise, Batman easily dodged all of the bullets until the boss ran out. He ran away, only to be caught by Batman in a narrow alleyway. "Hello," said Batman.

He punched the boss across the jaw, leaving him unconscious. He picked him up, placed him near his van, tied him to a pole next to it and left. The police arrived at the scene shortly. "That him?" an officer asked his superior, pointing to the boss tied to the pole.

"Sure is. Harold Jones, drug trafficker and notorious crime boss. Once again, another criminal is just handed to us. Cuff him and put him in the car. Take his guys too," he answered.

The next day, Bruce Wayne, Gotham's favourite son was visited by an old family friend, Jim Gordon, a member of the Gotham City Police Department. "So tell me more about this Batman, Jim," requested Bruce.

"Well to be honest, we don't even know if he exists! I mean, the people we've brought in have all suffered from severe injuries and claim to have been attacked by a giant bat. Maybe it's something they've created within their circle to get away with the insanity plea. I don't think I'll ever find out," explained Jim.

Bruce's butler Alfred came in with some coffee after Jim had finished explaining. "Would you like anything else sir?" he asked them.

"No Alfred, that would be all, thank you," said Bruce. Before Alfred got to the door, Bruce stopped him. "Actually Alfred, could you make sure my clothes are ready for immediate use?"

"Your day clothes or your night clothes?" asked Alfred.

"Night," said Bruce.

"Very well sir," said Alfred as he walked away. Jim got a call from Commissioner Loeb and immediately left Bruce's manor. Bruce turned on the news. There was another murder. Around three weeks ago, a young woman named Catherine Spear was killed outside her school, the Academy of Gotham. The killer marked an A on the victim's forehead. The next week, another student was killed, this time at Wayne High School. W was carved on the victim's forehead this time. Last week, another student from a different school was murdered, with an O carved on his forehead. The press have dubbed him, the Alphabet Killer because of his strange method of murder. Now another victim had been claimed. "They are ready sir," said Alfred when he returned.

The Gotham City Morgue. Batman could find his answers there. The latest murder victim was named Theodore Cioca. Batman just had to find his body. Within three minutes, he found it. He unzipped the bag in which the body was kept. On his forehead was the letter L. That combined with the letters on the other victim's heads spelt AWOL. Was that a coincidence or was it a clue to finding the killer? Batman could hear someone coming into the room. He re-zipped the bag and hid in the shadows. It was Jim. He was there to do the exact thing Batman was. When he unzipped the bag, it was evident that he came to the same conclusion as Batman did. After Jim left, Batman emerged from the shadows and also took his leave from the morgue. AWOL, AWOL, AWOL. What could be meant by AWOL? Who came to mind? There were no deserters present in Gotham that Batman was aware of. Maybe there was a hidden meaning behind it. The first letter was A which murder occurred at the Academy of Gotham which was founded by Harvey Eckhart. The second letter was W and that murder occurred at Wayne High School, in memory of Bruce Wayne's parents. The third letter was O and the murder took place at Olson University founded by Mark Olson. The final letter was L and the murder was committed at Luthor Academy for Learning founded by Lex Luthor while he was visiting Gotham. Eckhart, Wayne, Olson and Luthor. When exchanged for their numbered counterpart, the first letters together are 1 23 15 12. A radio frequency! Batman took out his radio and tuned it to the frequency. The signal was coming from the abandoned Gotham Steel Mill. Batman made his way to the mill as quickly as he could.

"They'll never find me. They'll never take me back there. To that horrible place. I'm safe. Safe in my new home," said a man in an orange jumpsuit. Batman infiltrated the steel mill and was now watching the murder suspect from an above vantage point. The man looked around as if he heard something. "Is anybody there? No, of course not! No one can find me here. I'm safe," the man said with a psychotic laugh. Batman thought for a bit. Could this really be the killer? He knew the uniform he was wearing. It was the inmate uniform from Arkham Asylum. He must have escaped right under everyone's noses. Batman jumped from the vantage point and crept into the shadows so that he could hear his suspect better. "They'll never find out. They'll never know that I killed those people. Never! They never noticed me. They never even knew I existed! Well, that came in handy, didn't it? Hahahaha!" said the man as he picked up a knife on his desk and threw it in Batman's direction. Batman barely dodged this unexpected attack, the knife brushed past his arm, tearing of a piece of his costume and drawing some blood. Batman leaped out of the shadows and struck the murderer but he just about dodged the attack. "Did you think I didn't know you were there Batman? Did you think I didn't know you were coming? That radio frequency was just for you, so you could find me."

"The murder of those students, was just to get my attention? Why?" asked Batman. The murderer laughed.

"To be honest, I just wanted excitement. I wanted recognition! Nobody ever noticed me! Not even my parents! In fact the only time they ever showed the slightest bit of interest in me was when they sent me to rot away in that damned asylum! Then about two months ago, you showed up. The big scary Batman. I knew that if I was to be associated with you, I would get the recognition I deserve!"

"As a killer."

"Anything is fine with me. I'll be the man who killed the bat!" said the murderer as he lunged at Batman with another knife. He slashed and swiped but Batman easily dodged each attack. "Are you getting tired Batman?" he asked.

"No, I'm just waiting for you to slip up," said Batman.

"What?" asked the murderer. For a slight second he stopped attacking and Batman took the opportunity to disarm him and knock him to the ground. "No!" he shouted.

Batman picked him up by the neck and punched him across the face, knocking him out. He dropped him on the floor. He heard someone come in. It was Jim again. Batman took out a grapple gun from his belt and shot it at the ceiling. Jim caught Batman just as he was lifted by the grapple. Their eyes met for a small moment and Batman gave Jim a salute as he disappeared into the shadows. Jim grabbed the murderer, cuffed him and put him in his car. Oh did he have a story for Bruce.

Batman stepped into the window of a house and sat down. A voice called out to him. "Did you find the murderer?" asked the voice.

"I did. He was an escaped inmate from Arkham Asylum. AWOL just wanted attention, that's why he killed those people," answered Batman.

"You're calling him AWOL sir?" asked the voice.

"It's less of a mouthful than the Alphabet Killer, isn't it?" replied Batman.

Alfred came into the room. "Indeed sir. So I guess the case is closed then?" he asked.

Batman took of his mask revealing himself to be Bruce Wayne. "Yeah, it is," he said with a smile.


	2. Deadshot Part 1

28th April 2013

The outside of the long abandoned Gotham energy plant was occupied with police officers and their vehicles. Jim was at the entrance of the plant with a bullhorn in his hands. "Alright people, listen up. The Commissioner wants the Batman under police custody as soon as possible. The use of firearms is forbidden unless you are assaulted. Let's move out!" he ordered as he and his team of officers flooded the plant.

On the third floor of the plant was the Batman who had previously been shot by a police officer only five minutes ago while breaking up a drug operation. He had retreated into the abandoned energy plant when he was outnumbered. He turned on his communicator and contacted Alfred. "Alfred, I need you to schedule a meeting with Lucius tomorrow evening. I'm in need of some new tech," Batman said.

"Having trouble out there sir?" Alfred asked.

"Just the occasional interruption from the GCPD," informed Batman. "Can you get on that now please?"

"Of course sir."

Batman heard footsteps coming from the floor below. He climbed onto an above vantage point and waited for some of his pursuers. Two officers came up, flashlights in hand. Batman leaped on them, smashing their heads together. The other officers on the below floors ran up to the floor where they heard their colleague's shouts. Batman ran to the roof of the building, closely followed by Jim. Batman stood at the edge of the roof looking down on the streets below. Most of the police had entered the building so he was free to get to his car. Jim made it to the roof of the building and drew his pistol. He aimed it at Batman. "There's nowhere to go. Come peacefully," Jim said as he moved closer to Batman who smirked. Jim saw Batman move closer off the edge of the building. "Crazy son of a bitch, don't try it!" he reasoned.

Batman jumped off the building and spread his arms out. As he did, his cape took the shape of Bat wings, allowing him to glide to his destination but not before Jim shot him in the arm, causing Batman to lose his stance and fall onto the roof of a small building. Luckily for him, his car was parked right next to it. He jumped off the building and limped to his Lamborghini.

* * *

The previous day

Bruce finished a board meeting for his company Wayne Enterprises early in the morning when he received a call from a friend: Lucius Fox. "Yes?" Bruce asked.

"Bruce, it's Lucius. Alfred told me you needed something from me. Come to my department and I'll show you how it works," he said before he hung up. Bruce made his way down to Lucius' department and met the African American man beside a cloaked body suit. "Ah you made it."

"What is that?" Bruce asked.

"It's what I like to call the Wayne Tech Fox Glide Suit 1.5. The cloak responds to an electrical current released from the hands of the suit by take the shape of wings, allowing the wearer to glide for a short amount of time. I think it would be of great use."

Bruce walked up to the suit. "Do you think you can modify the shape the cloak takes?" he asked.

"Sure, what to?" Lucius asked. Bruce gave him a look. "Right of course, I'll have it sent to the manor before tonight."

"Thanks. Lets hope it works," Bruce finished as he walked out the door.

* * *

28th April 2013

"Damn it!" Commissioner Loeb cursed in his office. Jim, SA Brendan and another GCPD officer had been called to Loeb's office a few hours after the Batman's escape. "I thought you had him this time!"

"We would have gotten him but Gordon insisted we didn't use firearms," explained Brendan.

Loeb looked outraged. "Gordon you green pussy! We are GCPD officers! We shoot criminals! We kill criminals! The Batman is a criminal! What the hell was going through that imbecilic head of yours when you lead the hunt?!"

"I just thought that you'd like to question him first. I mean he hasn't really done anything wrong in the first place so-" Jim was cut off.

"So what?! Do you remember what happened two months ago? He almost ruined me! I want him dead Goddammit!" Loeb calmed down a bit. "Obviously my own officers are incapable of executing this simple task so I'm going to have to hire some help. All of you, out of my office." The three officers left their boss in solitude. Loeb picked up his phone and dialed a number. "Yes hello? Is this Mr. Floyd Lawton? I have a proposition for you."

* * *

Later that day

Bruce was in his study doing push ups when Alfred came into the room with lunch. He put the food on the table and sat down until Bruce was done. "Yes Alfred?" Bruce asked.

"Sorry to disturb you sir but Mr. Falcone just called. He wanted to know if you were attending his charity ball this evening."

"Why not? It should be fun. I know just who to invite," Bruce said as he drank the tea Alfred set for him on the table.

"Oh and I called Lucius as you asked. You forgot to inform me about which pieces of equipment you want upgraded."

"Oh damn. I was just a little distracted with the police being after me and all. I'll talk to him before I leave."

"Very well sir," Alfred said as he left the room.

* * *

Alberto Falcone. To most of Gotham's citizens he was a caring and upstanding member of society. But Bruce knew him better than that. He was one of Gotham's most notorious crime lords. He ran into Batman more than a few times but the vigilante could never find enough evidence to link Falcone to the crimes he was sure he committed. Bruce was at Falcone's ball with his date, the beautiful Selina Kyle. As soon as they entered the main hall, the focus of all of the guests was shifted from the host, to Bruce and Selina. Alberto walked up to greet Bruce and Selina. "Ah, Brucey-Boy! It's been a long time!" he said as he gave Bruce a bear hug. "And who is this beautiful lady?" Alberto asked as he took Selina's hand and kissed it.

"Selina Kyle," she said.

"Nice to meet you Ms. Kyle. Come, you sit at my table," Alberto said as he led his guests to their seats.

After about an hour at the ball, Bruce became bored and kept on glancing at his watch to see if it was midnight. No such luck for him. Selina noticed his restlessness. She moved closer to him and whispered in his ear. "If you're getting bored, we can always find somewhere quiet and secluded and have some fun," she said quietly and seductively.

Before Bruce could answer, a bullet broke through one of the windows and pierced one of the guests right in his forehead. The man was dead within seconds. Panic flooded the hall and the guests, including Bruce and Selina left the building. From a far away rooftop, a man in a black leather suit and helmet with a scope on his right eye, blew the smoke from his sniper and smirked. "And now, I wait," he said to himself.

* * *

Bruce arrived home an hour and a half later. It was fifteen minutes until midnight. It was time. Quickly, Bruce got into his body armor and put on his bat themed cowl. There was work to do.

* * *

The Falcone building had a surprising lack of cops considering what had happened not so long ago. The body hadn't even been taken. Batman entered the building with caution. He examined the body. The bullet was lodged in the victim's skull. Batman looked at where the bullet entered the room. The shooter must have been a skilled shooter because the shot was taken from far away. Batman forced the bullet out of the victim's head. It was clearly custom made. It had the word Deadshot on it. Another shot was fired from the same place as before, this time aimed for Batman who narrowly dodged the attack. Batman saw the killer and jumped out the window to pursue him. He glided to another, shorter building and free ran to a higher one until he arrived at the rooftop from which the shot was fired from. The killer had fled and was already on the ground. Batman ran after and eventually caught up to him in an alleyway. "Well, my benefactor was correct when describing your abilities," said the killer. "But in the end, you're just another target for the World's Greatest Assassin."

"Who are you? Why did you kill that man?" Batman asked.

"You mean to tell me that you've never heard of me? I'm Deadshot, and I was hired to kill you."

* * *

**Thanks for reading. Part 2 coming up soon. Please review and check out my other Batman story: Batman: Ashes of Arkham. **


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